Following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Germany and Austria have made significant changes to their asylum policies for Syrian nationals.
Germany has frozen over 47,000 pending asylum requests, while Austria has suspended asylum applications and is preparing for “orderly repatriation and deportation” of Syrians. These steps are being taken as European countries, including Greece, France, and Belgium, reassess their asylum practices in light of the uncertain political situation in Syria.
The shift in policy has raised concerns, particularly from human rights groups like Amnesty International, which warns that the unstable situation in Syria remains a threat to returning refugees. In Germany, the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has called for mass deportations, while the Green Party has condemned this approach. This decision affects over 973,000 Syrians living in Germany, with a significant portion granted refugee status.
Austria, with around 100,000 Syrians, has also suspended asylum provisions, raising concerns among those with pending applications. The Austrian government is reviewing asylum approvals, with a focus on family reunifications.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has urged that Syrians still waiting for asylum decisions should not be forcibly returned, emphasizing the importance of humanitarian protection during this uncertain time.
